Tech stocks anchored the market rally, bolstered by gains in Intel and Micron ahead of a series of pivotal events for the artificial intelligence sector. Markets are preparing for Samsung’s preliminary second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, followed by the highly anticipated U.S. stock-market debut of South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix on Friday. Simultaneously, SpaceX is set to join the Nasdaq-100, prompting an estimated $800 billion in institutional buying pressure. Infrastructure plays also saw significant movement as Anthropic and TeraWulf finalized a $19 billion lease agreement, driving TeraWulf shares up 4.9%.

Institutional shifts extended beyond AI, as the Texas Stock Exchange launched its test-mode operations Monday. Backed by heavyweights like BlackRock, the new exchange intends to challenge the long-standing duopoly of the NYSE and Nasdaq by offering full trading capabilities as early as Friday. Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller signaled a shift in central bank priorities, noting that inflation has overtaken labor market concerns as the primary policy hurdle. Investors remain cautious ahead of Wednesday’s release of Fed meeting minutes, which will offer the first insights into the policy approach under Chairman Kevin Warsh.